He is fondly remembered this week by realtor Hugh Bateman and former Mudgee mayor and newsagent, Arthur Brackenrig and his wife, Betty.

Mr Bateman, who successfully convinced Mr Fedde to sell him the site of the new Property Shop building after years of lobbying, said he was a private person who loved his farm as well as his animals, including dogs, cattle and the odd sheep.

He emigrated to Kandos, from Germany, with a bushman’s saw and hammer, in the 1950s, and was taken in by the Barlow family, who were builders.

Mr Bateman said he was best known for being a master tradesman, a builder and craftsmen.

Mr Fedde did a lot of the work for Mr Brackenrig, who was sad to hear the news of his passing.

“He was a real craftsmen, a one-off craftsmen,” Mr Brackenrig said.

His wife, Betty, described Mr Fedde as one of Mudgee’s “best loved, highly respected citizens.

“He built countless homes, a block of flats, a motel and carried out innumerable renovations in the Mudgee area,” she said.

“There was no time wasted when Otto took on a job, no hanging about waiting for bricklayers, plasterers, tilers, plumbers, cabinet makers etc., he did the lot and all by himself. From foundations to built-in cupboards, you could rest assured the job would be expertly and quickly carried out.”